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% THE GLASS FACTORY. %
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##£%==~¨¨¨ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ AND A GIFT SHOP. ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ CONSIDERED POOR. ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ SOME ARE SHATTERED. ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ %% ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ %% %% ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ ======= % % ======= ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ ======= % % ======= ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ FLOOR. ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ BECOME STILL. ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ %% ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ ======= % % ======= ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ %% %% ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ %% ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨¨¨~==%£##
###£%==~¨¨ ¨¨~==%£###
####£%==~¨ SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ¨~==%£####
###£%==~¨¨ THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ¨¨~==%£###
##£%==~¨¨¨ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ¨¨¨~==%£##
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
£%==~¨¨¨¨¨ THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ¨¨¨¨¨~==%£
#£%==~¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨~==%£#
##£%==~¨¨¨ I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ¨¨¨~==%£##
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